Enjoy the Sweeter Side of Life . . .

Cosmic Spice

At the bakery, we get our spices, nuts, dried fruits and vanilla beans from a local company called Cosmic Spice. We met the owners, Mark and Rachel Zaccaria, several years ago shortly before opening the bakery, and I’m glad that we saw their delivery truck that day and gave them a call. We’ve had a wonderful professional relationship with Cosmic Spice because of their commitment to good service and quality… the two attributes that make shopping locally such a rewarding experience. Until recently, the general public didn’t have the opportunity to partake in the offerings of Cosmic Spice because they were only a wholesaler. But this past September, Cosmic Spice opened a retail store that is located in the same building as their wholesale operation.

A few days ago, we ordered pecans, cinnamon sticks ( along with various other spices) and instead of having the order delivered as I usually do, I thought I’d stop into the new storefront to check it out. I had wanted to stop in anyway, since Rachel had expressed interest in buying the spice packets that we make here at the bakery for our chai tea (she’s a self-proclaimed lover of chai). Since we use their spices in our chai packets, having Cosmic Spice serve them seemed like a natural fit.

The new Cosmic Spice Country Market is located in the Buena Boro Commerce Center at 525 S West Blvd. It’s a little off the beaten path, but is worth the journey. The store is inside a warehouse of sorts, with high ceilings and an industrial look. They’ve done a nice job creating a ‘space within a space’ though by constructing walls to partition the retail space from the larger operation. Inside the retail store, they’ve also created a homey feel by stocking it with charming antique pieces of furniture to display their wares.

An open cabinet on the far wall of the store particularly struck me because the cabinet was enormous, probably twenty feet long and twelve feet high. It fit the space perfectly though because of the large wall that it was rested upon.

At about this time, I also noticed the strong scent of spice in the air. It was an interesting aroma, I couldn’t quite pick out one overarching spice, but the air was thick with the perfume of hundreds of different herbs and spices. It was intoxicating, in a good way, the way that made me want to stop and take a deep inhalation through my nose to pick up this unusual and lovely smell.

Rachel was working the front counter and welcomed me into the shop. We chatted for a bit and she prepared a chai tea. Chai is actually the word for ‘tea’ in India, and the Indians drink chai all day long. There are even chai runners that go door to door or to offices selling cups of hot chai. The chai of India is not like the frou-frou, sweet beverage that you get here in the states though. Indian chai is simply black tea, spices, milk and honey simmered to infuse the various flavors together and is not very sweet. I was turned onto real chai from our San Francisco days when we ate Indian food many times a week. One of the best things about our favorite restaurant, Naan n’ Curry was the airpot of fresh chai that sat next to the counter where orders were placed. Sipping on the complimentary cups of hot, spiced chai was a favorite memory of mine from those days, so there is a special place in my heart for good chai.

After preparing the chai, Rachel showed me around a bit, introducing me to the various products that they offer in the retail shop. I asked about the gigantic cabinet that lined the far wall, and she was particularly proud of it, saying that her mother-in-law scored it at an antique store in Mays Landing. It also was a wonderful display for their hundred or so different spices that they sell. It seemed as though they had just about anything you could think of in the market, from saffron to sage, red pepper flakes to cardamom pods. They also had jars of local honey, tea and coffee, and many bags of different nuts and trail mixes, dried fruits and many more items.

One cool thing they offer is gift baskets. There is a section in the space dedicated to gift baskets, with rolls of ribbon and cellophane ready to wrap anything from the shop into a basket. Rachel told me that they have pre-made baskets, or they are happy to put anything from the shop in… what a splendid idea (especially this time of year).

Cosmic Spice is a cool spot here in South Jersey, a specialty foods shop that moves their products all over New Jersey, and into Pennsylvania, Delaware and even Maryland. After 15 years in business and several expansions, Cosmic Spice is a hidden gem in the South Jersey culinary scene. And since opening their new retail store, you can now experience it for yourself.

Awesome description of the store! I personally enjoyed my first visit and plan to frequent it myself. Everyone needs to go take a taste of some of the unique offerings you will find there. I have also gotten many of their gift baskets of which the recipients were all overwhelmed with the attractiveness and the thoughtfulness placed inside of each and every one! Need some snacks that most people haven’t had the good fortune of experiencing and makes you a stand out? Head on down! You won’t regret it! Maybe I’ll meet you there!

Forgot to mention – there is one exceptional spice there – Hitzel’s No Salt Everything Spice – for those who are on low/no sodium diets. Fabulous on most anything especially chicken! And, their own Steak Seasoning (might have salt) is outstanding on beef and veggies, especially good in marinades, and their bar snacks they prepare themselves! Just lots of yummy stuff too numerous to mention!